Learning outcomes

After studying this course, you should be able to:

• understand the plot and structure of the Odyssey
• identify some of the ways in which Homer constructs the characters of Penelope and Odysseus
• read in detail short passages of text and analyse the effects of the poetic techniques used
• discuss some key themes of the Odyssey including: homecoming; disguise and recognition; gender roles; and the representation of the figure of the hero.